Mural at Jackson school highlights Missouri

SHOW ME THE STATE

By Callie Clark ~ Southeast Missourian

A new mural at South Elementary in Jackson has students asking questions about the birds and bees.

Local freelance artist Craig Thomas has spent three weeks working 15 feet off the ground on a scaffold in South's library on a painting of Missouri symbols.

High above the shelves of books, visitors to the library now have a fresh look at the Arch, dogwood, blue birds and honey bees.

Students have watched the mural slowly form on the library's high cathedral wall, full of questions about the work involved and the objects depicted.

"The kids got to watch the whole thing, that's always interesting for them," said Thomas, whose murals can also be seen in Franklin Elementary and Central High School in Cape Girardeau. "The students had some really good questions, although some of them wanted to know if I had a dog, stuff like that."

To complete the Missouri theme, Thomas included a mule, the Mississippi River, the state seal and hawthorn blooms.

He wrapped up work on the mural at South on Friday, but will be back next week to answer more questions during a parent open house.

Librarian Susan Skelton arranged for Thomas to paint the mural. The school raised funds for the work through a book sale earlier in the year.

Eventually, Skelton hopes to raise enough funds to expand the mural around all four walls. Thomas spoke to each class in the kindergarten through fifth grade school about the project.

"It's been great for the children to see the daily progression of it," said Skelton. "They're really excited."

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, ext. 128